Veezara sat in front of the small fire just before the back bedroom in Cracked Tusk Keep. According to the fort records the room belonged to Ghunzul, the old Orc chief, whose body was currently resting headless inside the bedroom. For this reason Veezara, to avoid the smell, took residence in front of the fire, sleeping on a somewhat clean bedroll.

"Here I sit in the company of no one yet surrounded by friends" Veezara thought, "Sithis and the Void are my only true companions it seems. Yet why, if that is to be believed, do I feel so alone?"

Nazir walked in with a plate of bread, goat meat and cheese. Sitting the plate down on a low table, Nazir took the nearest chair, inviting himself in the room. Veezara only nodded, thankful for the company.

"How you holding up?" Nazir asked, concern showing in his voice.

Veezara waved him off as he took the small slice of cheese and combined with the bread. "The better question would be, how's Babette holding up?" Veezara said in a pointing out sort of way, "She seemed upset."

"Only because you belittled her Veezara" Nazir corrected, "I know it's hard to resist the temptation, especially with her being what she is, but you must put that aside. We've told you about this, time and time again. What do we have to do to make you see?"

Veezara said nothing and only began to eat, as he ate he thought about what his life used to be, searching for a reason behind his behavior. He eventually found one, it was in a past best left forgotten, a story that Veezara repressed with every urge and yet still found himself thinking, pondering, about what almost was.

"She reminds me of someone I once knew" Veezara declared, "Someone from a long time ago, in another time, in another place, in another life. It's difficult to explain, but I will do the best I can."

Nazir huffed, for he hated long winded stories, still, in Veezara's defense, he did ask a question and if the Argonian felt like this was the best way to give the answer, than Nazir would accept it and simply suffer through mind numbing details. Veezara repositioned himself, for he wanted to be as comfortable as possible, once this was done he breathed in, clearing his head of all distractions.

Black Marsh

4E 171

By the time Veezara was six years old he was already commissioned by the King of Black Marsh, Brendalin the Noble, to become a Shadowscale. Veezara's trainer, Valen, who was also his father, was a ruthless and vicious man, forcing his son to go through training courses that made the Spartans of Greece look nothing more than child's play.

One particular exercise involved sneaking throughout the King's palace completely unnoticed. This was done to ensure that the Shadowscales knew every inch of the building, should the need for assassinating visiting noblemen arise, it was also good practice. To maintain the order's secrecy, the exercises were done at night.

"How do you expect to become a decent Shadowscale if you keep getting caught?" Valen chastised, after one of Veezara's many failures that came with the innocence of youth.

"Forgive me father" Veezara exclaimed, "I have failed in my duty, please...don't be angry with me. I promise to do better next time."

Valen and Veezara were standing on a balcony, on the highest tower in the King's Palace. Valen, who was dressed in traditional red and black Dark Brotherhood armor, paced the small space as he contemplated what might have happened if Veezara had been caught. Valen, who was not a caring man by any means, often refusing signs of affections in favor of strict discipline and obedience, did have a spot for Veezara in his heart. Valen, being Veezara's father and leader of the Shadowscales, had already placed Veezara as his successor and so held him to a higher standard than all his other students.

"Next time!" Valen screamed, "There won't be a next time, don't you understand? Brendalin cannot afford an assassin who makes mistakes, especially one as stupid and careless as knocking over one of his priceless irreplaceable vases!"

Veezara hung his head in shame, embarrassed for both himself and his father, but mostly for himself.

"I have shamed you father" Veezara continued, standing his ground, "Please...do what you will with me-"

Veezara knelt at Valen's feet, tears were in his eyes at the realization that what he was about to say he would never be able to take back.

"Kill me if you desire it" Veezara exclaimed, "I cannot imagine a world where you are dishonored and shunned by your peers. The leader of the Shadowscales should not suffer because of me. Kill me, reclaim your honor, then go and bed Mother a second time, to make another bastard like me. I pray that he is better heir for you than I."

Valen stopped moving and faced Veezara, who remained motionless. He then unsheathed his sword and brought it to Veezara's neck, no sooner had he done this did Valen bring it across Veezara's neck as gently as he could; only producing a small scratch.

"If I wanted to kill you I would have done so" Valen said sternly, "Do not think I spared you because you are my son. I spared you because you are the only one I can trust."

Veezara lifted his head confusingly at Valen, for he had failed so horribly in the last endeavor that it was amazing that Valen would trust him with any future assignments.

"Go the King's chambers" Valen commanded without giving much in the way of explanation, "Assassinate the King's cousin, Karad. Show no mercy Veezara, she is a dangerous woman, commit the deed after she falls asleep and you will have no trouble."

Veezara shook his head confusingly at the order, for usually assassinations did not come until later, when the stealth training had been completed. Still, Veezara took the dagger he was given, the steel feeling cold on his bare hands.

"Father, if you don't mind me asking" Veezara began, "Why must Karad die? What has she done to deserve such a fate?"

Valen shook his head in disbelief, "Questions like that are unbefitting of a Shadowscale Veezara. But if you must know Karad has broken several of the King's laws. She is soon to be wed, to a Khajiit merchant no less! The very idea of it is insulting. She needs to be taught a lesson and what better way to teach such a lesson that than be slitting her throat hmm?"

Veezara was still deeply confused; psychologically he was not ready for such an assignment. He assumed that Valen knew this and wanted to test his abilities, to kill without remorse and do so as quickly and quietly as possible.

"Can't you give this task to someone else?" Veezara asked, "Someone more capable, Hides-Among-Reeds or Quintus perhaps? Surely they will do it without question and perform it more efficiently than I ever could."

Valen raised his hands and knelled down, meeting Veezara's eyes.

"Your egg-brothers have already had their First. It is time for you to have yours. Now go Veezara, kill Karad. Make her pay what she has done to her King, to all of us. When you have finished, bring me back her pendant, stained in blood, as proof of the deed."

Veezara nodded and ran off as fast as he could towards the Royal Chambers. Valen couldn't help but smile as he watched Veezara scale the rooftop, using the cover of darkness to evade detection. Once he was satisfied with Veezara's progress, Valen turned around and went down the simple ladder to the Shadowscales underground hideaway, where he found his wife and proceeded into his private chambers, taking Veezara's suggestion to heart.

Present Day

"Okay" Nazir said, bored out of his mind, "So you dishonored your family by failing tremendously at the most simplest of tasks, assassinated this Karad bitch and then your mom and dad fucked each other's brains out. How does any of that remind you of Babette?"

Veezara shook his head, "I never said anything about assassinating Karad. I never said anything of the sort."

Nazir rolled his eyes annoyingly; hating the fact that Veezara was leading him on. If the Redguard had to listen to a story he preferred one that was short and straight to the point.

"I think that's enough for now" Veezara continued as he laid his head down on the bedroll, "I must rest now, or else risking Babette turning me into the walking dead."

Nazir huffed as he stood to leave, ruffling his tunic at the same time.

"You know she can't stand you right?" Nazir pointed out, "She'd rather kill you than turn you at this point, especially after what you did to her."

Veezara sighed, "I wish you could understand Nazir" he replied sadly, "Maybe then things would make more sense. But can you bear to stomach it?"

Nazir shrugged, "I'll eat anything" he boasted, "As long as it's not breaded. Can't stand that shit to be honest with you."

Veezara rolled his eyes, silently laughing to himself at the joke. He couldn't remember the last time he laughed at something funny, it was a long time ago, that much he knew. Nazir walked out of the room, brushing past him was Babette, who entered Veezara's chamber; in her hands she was holding a second dose of medicine and a book.

"Before you say anything" Babette declared, "I'm still mad at you. But that doesn't mean that I won't take care of you."

Veezara wanted to say the same for her, but decided against it, for the last thing he wanted was to start Babette up again, who still held the precious medicine in her hands.

"What's the book for?" Veezara asked curiously, titling his head sideways to see if he could read the title, he could not.

"It's for reading dumbass" Babette answered as she spoon fed the medicine down Veezara's throat, "I have other hobbies besides killing you know."

Veezara laughed, coughing a bit at the effort. He liked to think that he had a hobby, but he couldn't think of any, extracurricular activities weren't a big part of his life growing up, especially with Valen as a father.

"There" Babette said coldly, "That should hold you for the night. If you need anything don't hesitate to call. I'll be up for awhile."

Veezara nodded as he wrapped his wound in fresh bandages to prevent the spread of infection.

"Sleep well love" Veezara answered softly, "May dreams of the Void fill your head as you pass through Quagmire."

Babette stopped for a moment and stared at Veezara inquisitively, causing Veezara to belt out the truest laugh that he ever produced up to that point.

"You're not the only one whose read up on the Old Histories" Veezara declared, "There are things that I know that you cannot hope to imagine. Things that I bet you would kill for! I've communed with various Daedra- Vaermina, Sheogorath, Hermaeus Mora, etc. All of them wonderful and enigmatic beings, always wanting to be part of things they have no business being involved in and always wanting something for nothing. Oh Babette, I could tell you stories that you wouldn't believe!"

Babette rolled her eyes, she could personally care less if Veezara communed with Daedra, for almost everyone in Skyrim had some connection to at least one of them and Veezara was not the first to boast about having met a few of them himself. Granted, Veezara was lying, in truth he was trying to get Babette to warm up to him, this failed miserably. Seeing the eye roll caused the Argonian to change tactics, but before he could say anything more Babette had already left the room.

"Damn" Veezara said to himself, "I almost had her. It worked with the concubine in Gideon that's for damn sure."

Veezara slowly drifted off to sleep, trying not to think about anything of importance of significance. As he slept he found himself not in the Void, like he expected, but back in the Brendalin's palace, just as he was thirty years ago.